University District

 

The AVE

 

Entertainment, Arts, & Events

 

Scarecrow Video-5030 Roosevelt Way NE/206.524.8554/scarecrow.com// Scarecrow video is a local independent video store with the largest collection of movies on the west coast-- there are over 60,000 titles, organized by director or by genre in different rooms. The staff are also friendly and informative. Want to watch a movie about teens surviving in the woods? find one here, in fact you’ll find many here. One will probably be an ultra-rare, out-of-print, imported, director's cut. You might have to leave a deposit for that one, but its a small price to pay for a special film that the rest of the world forgot. Oh yeah, Wednesdays are 2 for 1 movie night. Sun-Thurs 11am-11pm, Fri-Sat 11am-Midnight.

 

Art Spaces

 

Theaters

 

Historic University Theater- 5510 University Way NE/ 206.781.3879/historicuniversitytheater.com// If you're old enough, you remember going to shows here when it was the Paradox. In '03 the Paradox moved into the church that owned it (did you know?) and Jet City Improv moved in here. Besides regular improv shows -funnier than Whose Line is it Anyway, by a lot- they also make up a new soundtrack for a bad movie during the last weekend of every month. The theater's run by a non-profit AND offers classes. It is blindingly yellow you can't miss it. Seriously, blindingly yellow. Also, you can get Pizza Pi across the street first. Rad.

 

Seven Gables Theater- 911 N.E. 50th Street at Roosevelt/206.781.5755/ It is a one screen theater. It was once an independently owned movie theater but is now owned by Landmark Theaters. It has shingled sidings and is gabled, it is a pretty sweet.

 

Venues

 

New Crompton- 4711 12th Ave NE/ www.myspace.com/newcrompton// A really cool house venue. Some great people live here. They were almost no more the Summer of 2009 but they kicked back into gear. So expect some good shows and events.

 

Misc.

 

University Heights Center- 5031 University Way NE/ 206.527.4278/ uhcca.org// A big building that houses non-profits like PSCS and Seattle Youth Garden Works.  They host the UD Farmer's Market.  They have a lot of classes, workshops and events. They have basketball hoops and one of their rooms is haunted.  The Get Up Kids played here once. Buidling Hours Mon-Fri 8am-10pm, Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday 9am-4pm.

 

Goods & Services

 

Found It- 6820 Roosevelt Way NE/206.517.5047// Vintage junk shop with goods ranging from loose scrabble tiles to old photographs to knick knacks and dresses. Helpful staff will point you in the right direction if they don’t stock what you are looking for.

 

Trading Musician- 5908 Roosevelt Way NE/206.522.6707/tradingmusician.com// Used musician's equipment.  Stuff is priced somewhat randomly, so you can find good deals occasionally. They usually have really good deals on brass insturments...go figure. But the people here are all really helpful. Daily 11am-7pm, closed Wednesdays.

 

Folk Store- 5210 Roosevelt Way NE/ 206.524.1110/www.folkstoreseattle.com// The owner came into Sidecar once and told me that she ran a folk instrument store.  Folk is half of folk-punk, so if you're any kind of punk you should go check it out.  Electricity is for posers. Mon-Fri 11am-6pm, Thurs 11am-8pm, Sat11am-5pm and Sun Noon-5pm.     

 

Neptune Music- 4344 Brooklyn Ave NE/ 206.632.0202//Some say this is the best music store ever. The jury is still out but none the less the have stickers on their LPs that tell you what pressing it is. P.S. they have s back room but you are only allowed if you are cool. So be cool.

 

Arts & Crafts

 

Weaving Works- 4717 Brooklyn Ave NE/206.524.1221/weavingworks.com// Hella yarrrrrrrrn! It is ture this place has everything and the people that work there are really helpful. But it is pretty pricey. Knitting group on Thursday evenings. Fiber classes with varying prices. Monday-Friday 10am-6pm, Thursday 10am-8pm, Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 11am-3pm

 

Bars

 

 

 

Bicycle Shops

 

The Bike Shack- 901 NE 55th St @ Wayward Cafe/ www.bikeshack.org// The Bike Shack is a bicycle collective in the University District that provides the knowledge and tools to help people fix their own bikes for Free or for a donation for parts. While you are there you might as well get some vegan grub at the Wayward Café that the Bike Shack is connected to. You should probably check their calender on their website to see when they are open! Support ‘em!

 

Recycled Cycles- 1007 Boat St/ 206.547.4491/recycledcycles.com// This store has tons of used and new bikes and parts as well as equipment, clothing and accessories. They also have a messenger/ U-student discount, helpful staff and free coffee. Open Monday-Friday 10am-8pm and Saturday-Sunday 10am-6pm.

 

R & E Cycles- 5627 University Way NE/ 206.527.4822/rodcycle.com// Locally owned small overpriced bike shop with good U District location and café. Open Tuesday-Friday Noon-6pm, Saturday 10am-5pm and closed Sunday and Monday.

 

Books, Newsstands, & Comics

 

Bulldog News- 4208 University Way NE/206.632.6397/bulldognews.com// Best selections of magazines in the city, for both punks and intellectuals. Café features fair trade organic teas and coffees. No extra charge for soymilk.  Tips go to charity not employees. Commitment to public spaces, feel free to hang out and read sans purchases. Open Monday-Friday 6:30am-9pm and Saturday-Sunday 8am-9pm.

 

The Dreaming Comics- 5226 University Way NE/206.525.9394//This place is rad because not only can you find a wide selection of both mainstream and underground comics, but when you are done browsing you can just sit there and listen to people play D&D for hours. Seriously, go on Tuesdays. Open Tuesday Noon-5pm, Wednesday-Saturday Noon-7pm and Sunday Noon-5pm.

 

Magus Books- 1408 42nd St NE/ 206.633.1800/abebooks.com/home/MAGUSBOOKSSEATTLE/ This book store is full of really tall shelves stuffed full of cool looking old books. And it's in a big old ivy covered brick building. Nothing could be dreamier. Except maybe finding a 70's Era Jacques Cousteau book about sharks. Oh wait, I did find that there. Open daily 10am-10pm.

 

Twice Sold Tales- 4501 University Way NE./206.545.4226/twicesoldtales.info// This place has a good selection of used books, as well as a good selection of store-cats. The cats are why you have to check your bag at the counter, they don't want you stealing cats. One time my friend Adam that worked there said this guy came in and asked, "Why does that sign say you can't bring dogs in?" Adam said, "Oh, well we have cats in the store." And the dude was like "What?!?!? What if a blind person had to bring in a seeing eye dog?!?"  And Adam was like "Who the fuck are you? This is a book store, we sell BOOKS here.” Also, this place smells like a catbox. Open Sunday-Friday 10am-8pm and Saturday 10am-10pm.

 

Zanadu Comics- 1307 45th Street NE/206.632.0989/zanaducomics.com// This place has a sick selection of comics. From Taiyo Matsumoto to Nate Powell, you'll find what you need. Unless what you need is Cats, in which case you should walk across the street to Twice Sold Tales.

 

Ravenna Third Place Bo6504 20th Ave NE/206.525.2347/www.ravennathirdplace.com// Anybody know anything about this place?

 

 

 

Grocery

 

 

 

R & M Indian Spices and Groceries- 5501 University Way/206.526.1793// Open daily  11am-7pm.

 

Rising Sun Farms and Produce- 6505 15th Ave NE/ 206.524.9741// Down to earth, family owned produce.  Cheap, but not trashy and open all year round. Open daily 8am-7pm.

 

Sidecar for Pigs Peace- 5270 University Way NE/ 206.729.0835/sidecarforpigspeace.com// 100% vegan grocery store and boutique! Shop for goods ranging from sweatshop free shoes to marshmallows to frozen faux meats. Volunteer run non-profit. All proceeds are donated to Pigs Peace Sanctuary. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-8pm.

 

 

 

Hardware

 

Hardwick's- 4214 Roosevelt Way NE/ 206.632.1203/ehardwicks.com// You can find anything here. Need a box of drywall screws? Need a Swedish made battle/carving axe? Need a new cauldron? Hardwick's has it all, plus so much more. This is a store that would have been in the movie "The Sandlot" had those kids needed to visit a hardware store for any reason. Come here and explore. Be awed. It's incredible. The craziest, most complex, old timey-est hardware store in existence. Open Monday-Friday 8am-6pm, Saturday 9am-6pm and closed on Sunday.

 

True Value Hardware- 4731 University Way NE/ 206.523.5353/truevaluehardware.com// A retailer-owned independent hardware store. Friendly work-staff here, not as quaint as Hardwick's but at least you won't get lost inside of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Health & Safety

 

Planned Parenthood

 

 

 

Restaurants & Cafes

 

 

 

Café Allegro- 4214 University Way NE/206.633.3030/www.cafeallegromusic.com// This pair of cafes (one is by Magus Books on 42nd and the Ave. and the other is a restaurant by the Collegian) are some of the oldest cafes in the city.  They have great atmosphere, good prices, some vegan stuff, and really nice folk.  This is one of those places that hosts mediocre open-mics, if you’re aching to play music to college kids.

 

 Thanh Vi- 4226 University Way NE/ 206.633.7867// A good place to get cheap vegan tofu sandwiches in the UD.  I've been told that the cream sauce they use is "potato-based."

 

Flowers- 4247 University Way NE/206.633.1903// This restaraunt/bar has a vegan Mediterranean buffet. Weekend only and weekdays 12-4pm.  (Their menu the rest of the time has nothing vegan).  The happy hour can be a little much, but the folks are sweet.  Great people watching spot. Open daily 11-2pm

 

Veggie Veggie- 4537 University Way NE/ 206.547.3900/whatdaphad.com// Moderately priced vegetarian thai cuisine. The food's not amazing, but the lunch special is a good deal and once I actually saw meekrob on the menu. They serve a lot of soy-based "meats" that may or may not be vegan, but some of their dishes do have eggs. Open Monday, Wednesday-Thursday 10am-10pm and Friday-Sunday 12pm-11pm

 

Blue Dog Cafe & Kitchen-

52nd & the Ave

Cute little cafe with formica tables that's a little cramped, but the coffee is good and they have a broad variety of chais. They know how to steam yr soy! The veggie bagel sandwich is super good, as are their baked goods, but there aren't a lot of vegan food options.

 

 

The Ave's Deli-licious Vietnamese Sandwiches & Subs

Just south of 50th on the Ave

Used to be SUBS, the grimy little shop run by some punk kids that made the best eggplant sub ever, but now it's owned by a Vietnamese family. They still offer a lot of the old sandwiches, and have added a number of Vietnamese options. Sometimes their toddler will wobble over to say hi.

 

Parnassus Cafe In Art Building

 

Located in the basement of the Art Building - room 007

 

There aren't many reasons to go on the UW campus (hunting frat boys is one) but this cafe is an awesome place- and it's independent of the UW housing and food services.  Located in the basement of the art building, Parnassus has vegan stuff and cool artsy student employees.  The profits go to scholarships for art students.

 

Regular Hours: Mon-Thurs 8:15-4, Fri 8:15-2

 

Summer Hours: Mon-Thurs 8:15-2, Fri closed

 

 

 

Pies and Pints

 

piesandpints.com

 

1215 NE 65th St

 

206-524-7082

 

Slightly upscale bar/restaraunt that has good french fries and beers.  They sell a few different kinds of vegan and non-vegan dinner pies. Sun-Wed 4-Midnight, Thurs-Fri 4–2, Sat Noon–2, Happy Hour Happy Hours: Mon- Fri 4–6 Every Day 10–Closing

 

 

 

Wayward Café

 

myspace.com/waywardcafe

 

901 NE 55th St

 

Wayward Cafe is Seattle's best place, ever. Absolutely incredible food. The menu is imaginative. The specials are usually great. You bus your own table, and there's zines and books if you come alone and want something to read. The Wayward used to be a work-owned collective, but it's now run by some of the owners of SideCar and Pizza Pi. In the back of Wayward is the Bike Shack, a bicycle collective (look under U-District bike shops).

 

Tues-Sun 9am-4pm

 

 

 

Araya's Vegetarian Place

 

206-524-4332

 

1121 NE 45th St

 

Araya's serves vegan Thai food in a relaxed setting. The all you can eat buffet, offered during the work week, is especially popular. The NW has a strange concept called buffet-to-go. For the price of a normal buffet you get a take out box and a soup container to fill up (to the brim). Do it and be filled.

 

Mon-Thurs 11:30-9PM, Fri-Sat 11:30-9:30, Sun 5- 9

 

 

 

Café Racer

 

206-523-5282

 

5828 Roosevelt

 

Serving food and coffee and alcohol, Cafe Racer is a favorite of bikers and punks in the area.  Last time I was here the bartender didn't know how to make espresso so I got a beer instead. They have open mic nights sometimes.

 

Mon 7–6, Tues–Fri 7–11, Sat 9-8, Sun 9-3

 

 

 

Café Wannabee (New name?)

 

5049 Brooklyn Ave. NE.

 

206-523-6294

 

Used to be the Cafe Wannabe, but it seems to have changed owners, and the bougie factor has gone up.

 

 

 

Chaco Canyon Cafe

 

chacocanyoncafe.com

 

206- 522- 6966

 

4757 12th Ave NE

 

Chaco Canyon is an environmentally conscious cafe and juice bar, offering a menu of both raw and vegan food with 90% of everything being organic. Shade grown and organic teas and coffees are also served, and there's no price difference between soy, rice, and cow's milk. 

 

Mon–Fri 8- 8, Sat 9-4, Sun 10-4

 

 

 

Hillside Quickies

 

hillsidequickie.com

 

206-632-3037

 

4106 Brooklyn Ave NE

 

This food will make your eyes well up with happiness. Vegan Jamaican sandwiches that will leave a greasebomb in your tummy. In a good way. Expensive, but definitely enough for two meals.

 

Mon-Sat 11-9

 

 

 

My Sweet Lord

 

425-558-4251

 

5521 University Way NE

 

Hare Krishna restaurant that serves vegetarian food on a pay what you can scale.

 

Tues-Sat 7:30–11, Sunday 1:30–4:30

 

 

 

Pizza Pi

 

pizza-pi.net

 

Locally owned and operated vegan pizza. The most recent owners to take over redid the menu (and the cheese- try homemade soy ricotta!). They have salad, sandwiches, desserts, and a pizza called the Pink Lady, which is possibly the best food ever. 

 

Tues-Thurs 5-10pm, Fri 5-11, Sat 12-11, Sun 12-9.

 

 

 

Sureshot

 

4505 University Way NE

 

Coffee house that has three pinball machines in the back room and a rotating arcade game. There's also arcade "tables" in the cafe so you can play a game if your date gets boring. Most of their baked goods and menu items are vegan, and they serve white coffee (higher caffiene, less acidity, stranger taste than regular coffee). The employees are cool, if you don't mind bad emocore crossed with epic metal at 11pm, and the owners are republican.

 

 

 

 Record Stores

 

Al's

The owner is a complete dick, and has been known to verbally abuse one of the female employees, in front of customers -- and claimed it was okay because she was his daughter.

 

 

Thrift & Clothing

 

Goodwill on the Ave

Basically aimed at the college students, with an entire upstairs dedicated to vintage ladies clothing, and a few shelves of housewares and random stuff in the back. Stuff is overpriced for a charity shop, but possibly competetive with the other second-hand stores in the UD.

 

 

Public Spaces

 

Rite Aid's storefront

47th & the Ave

Great if you're a juggalo, or any other hostile masculine presence.

 

 

Arboretum Park

 

Huge beautiful park on Lake Washington in Montlake by 520. Every year there's an Anarchists Vs Socialists Capure The Flag game, and there's a great Japanese garden. Be sure to check out the three Bridges To Nowhere in the park, which are technically “off limits” but are really fun to hang out on.

 

Cowen Park

There's a trail that takes you under 15th Ave into Ravenna Park, by U-Village. Possibly where some scenes from "Black Hole" are set. 

Ravenna Park

Water fountains.

UW Campus 

 

 

Wall of Death

 

Located down by the water, where the Burke-Gilman trail goes under the University Bridge, this art project has been a long time hang out of skaters, bikers, and sitters.  

 

 

Burke Gilman Trail

 

The Burke-Gilman is a popular bike path that goes from Ballard to Bothell, a 20-mile route, and passes near a number of cool parks, like Gasworks, Saint Edwards, and Sand Point. Also has a bounty of blackberries every year.

 

 

“R & M” is an Indian grocery store in the U-District. They have three different names on the building: “R & M Stores International”, “R & M East-West Grocery”, and “R M Indian-Pak Spices Grocery”. It is affectionately known as “the Indo-Pak”.

It is probably the best such place you’ll find without heading out to the suburbs. They have many tasty items: lots of boil-in-a-bag dinners, various masalas, all different flavors of Priya pickle, “lintels”, Parle-G, kheer mixes, etc. You will find the cheapest spices here. There are some fresh items: jalebi and gulab jamun mostly, but on the weekends they have veg samosas. I believe they also sell goat meat by the pound.

TOP THREE THINGS ABOUT THE INDO-PAK:

1. "Pure veg" samosas on the week-ends (2/$1.69)

2. Ten lb. bags of rice that say "Pakistani Rice, Produce of Pakistan" but have a giant map of Afghanistan on them, complete with a star for Kabul.

3. Thousands of Hindi videos-- rental fee, $1/week (and they'll play them on the T.V. in there to see if they have subtitles first)

 

206-526-1793

 

Third Place Books  

 

The Bike Shack is a bicycle collective that provides the knowledge and tools to help people fix their own bikes, for free, or for donation for parts. All people welcome.

 

Artist & Craftman Supply

artistcraftsman.com 

809 NorthEast 45th St. 

This is THE art supplies store in Seattle. The prices are great and they have everything from canvas rolls to googley eyes 

Mon-Sat 9AM-7PM

Sun 10am-6pm 

 

Although not technically an avenue. This is by far the greatest place in the universe ever. This is a wonderful neighborhood to give change to a G. G. Allen fan, get drunk with a college kid, or poke fun at a sandwich delivery boy. Once a dude tried to illicitly sell me Motorhead here, and if you don’t get how awesome that is, maybe you’re a more "Ravenna" type of person. Several local businesses are fueled by an ever-replenishing spring of family rivalry, while others are awesome in a more traditional sense.